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Wayne Manor
Wayne Manor is the stately residence of billionaire Bruce Wayne, secretly Batman. Under all the expensive china and bookcases, it also serves to hide the massive underground cave used as Batman's base of operations, the Batcave. Access to the Batcave The Manor grounds include an extensive subterranean cave system that Bruce Wayne discovered as a boy and later used as his base of operations as Batman, the Batcave. The method used to access it has varied across the different storylines in the comics, movies, and shows. In the comic books, it is typically accessible from a hidden door in Wayne Manor's study behind a non-functioning grandfather clock, which opens to a descending staircase when the hands on said clock are turned to 10:47 p.m., the time Thomas and Martha Wayne were killed. The grounds also include a large hill that was partially hollowed out for Batman's aerial vehicles, and there is also an underground river system that is large enough to accommodate docking space for the Batboat and has a large opening for the boat and has a water fall. Late 1960s to early 1980s While these grounds are the regular home of Bruce Wayne, he temporarily vacated it in the stories from the late 1960s to the early 1980s, preferring to live in a penthouse apartment on top of the Wayne Foundation building in the city, which also included a secret sub-basement acting as a Batcave. Following the events of Cataclysm During the events of Batman: Cataclysm a massive earthquake struck Gotham City, the epicenter of which was less than a mile from Wayne Manor. The mansion was seriously damaged, as was the cave network beneath. The ground beneath the mansion shifted significantly, and actually revealed the Batcave below. The original Manor was damaged beyond repair, forcing Bruce Wayne to redesign the Manor along with the Batcave. The new Manor is a veritable fortress, a pastiche of Gothic architecture combined with features of castellated architecture. Solar panels are installed in the new Manor, providing environmentally-friendly electricity generation for the complex. It also includes a heliport for commercial helicopters. Following the events of Arkham Asylum's collapse in Batman Eternal #29, Wayne Manor was donated by Bruce Wayne to replace the institution in Arkham Manor #1. After reconstruction, the Manor was renamed "Arkham Manor" and began housing the Arkham Inmates. The doctors note that Arkham Manor is even more secure than the original Asylum. The entrance to the Batcave was sealed off with a wall of cement to prevent anyone from discovering or accessing the Batcave. Other media depiction Batman (TV series) In the 1960s live action series, the exteriors were shot at 380 S. San Rafael Dr. in Pasadena. The interiors were shot at various soundstages. Access to the Batcave: the primary passage was located in Bruce Wayne's study behind a bookshelf that retracted into the wall. The bookshelf was activated by a switch hidden in a bust of William Shakespeare. The bookshelf would disappear to reveal two labeled firepoles descending to the Batcave. For reasons never revealed, the poles allowed for Batman and Robin to inexplicably go from their civilian garb to costume (although the film based on the TV show displays a switch which does that). Batman: The Motion Picture Anthology In [[Batman (1989 film)|1989's Batman]], Knebworth House, a Gothic Tudor mansion 28 miles north of London was used for the exterior. The interior however, is Hatfield House, Hertfordshire. The gaming room from the movie used the long gallery, and the marble hall was used for Wayne's 'arsenal' with the two-way mirror. In Batman Returns (1992), an entirely different design is used with a model being used for the exterior. The passage way to the Batcave is uncovered by turning on the lights of an ornament in a nearby aquarium and dropping through a false floor in an iron maiden. In Batman Forever (1995) and Batman & Robin (1997), Webb Institute in Glen Cove, New York was used for the exterior shots of Wayne Manor. In Batman Forever Dick Grayson discovers an entrance to the Batcave concealed behind a silverware storage cupboard. ''Batman: The Animated Series'' In Batman: The Animated Series an address is given for Wayne Manor in the episode "The Demon's Quest" stating that it is located at 1007 Mountain Drive, Gotham. This version of the manor was built on a cliff overlooking the ocean. The design of the manor was inspired by art deco architecture, and when viewed from the sea, the vaulted frames of the roof resemble the pointed ears of the Batman symbol. The Dark Knight Trilogy In the more recent Batman Begins (2005), the former Rothschild estate, Mentmore Towers in Buckinghamshire, was used to portray Wayne Manor's exterior and interior. In Batman Begins, the main part of the mansion is destroyed by fire caused by Ra's al Ghul, however its foundation survives intact and rebuilding efforts are underway as the film ends, with Alfred suggesting to Bruce to make improvements on the mansion's southeast corner (where the Batcave is located). The secret passage is an elevator shaft originally built as part of the Underground Railroad, accessed by playing three notes on a nearby piano. In ''The Dark Knight'' (2008), Wayne Manor is still being reconstructed, thus it is never seen. Bruce Wayne relocates to a penthouse within a hotel he purchased and his equipment is located in a different area; a secret bunker underneath a cargo container by the docks owned by Wayne Enterprises. The penthouse has a secret entrance to a location within the hotel where Wayne hides his equipment as Batman. Wayne Manor is confirmed by Bruce as being within the city limits, apparently in a suburb called the Palisades. ''The Batman'' In The Batman, Wayne Manor is depicted as a much taller building, with 7 floors. The initial entrance to the Batcave was hidden behind a video game machine, but following later seasons the entrance was replaced with the traditional grandfather clock. It is usually seen to be within Gotham city. ''Kingdom Come'' In Kingdom Come, the Manor was destroyed by Two-Face and Bane after Batman's true identity was exposed; the Batcave, however, remained relatively untouched. By the end of the graphic novel, Manor has been rebuilt as a hospital/hospice for Gulag battle victims. Trivia *According to Batman: The Animated Series, Wayne Manor's address is 1007 Mountain Drive. *The lawns have large metallic underground plates that act as giant tazers for multiple intruders. See Also TV Series * Wayne Manor (1960s series) * Wayne Manor (Super Friends) * Wayne Manor (BTAS) * Wayne Manor (The Batman) Films * Wayne Manor (1943 Serial) * Wayne Manor (1949 Serial) * Wayne Manor (Burton & Schumacher films) :* Wayne Manor (Burton Films) :* Wayne Manor (Batman Forever) :* Wayne Manor (Batman & Robin) * Wayne Manor (Nolan Films) Video Games * Wayne Manor (Batman: Arkham City) Category:Locations